The WSU Board of Regents voted to increase tuition by 3.3% for the 2025-26 academic year Friday, despite continued decreases in system-wide enrollment.
The vote passed 8 to 1, with Student Regent Kassandra Vogel being the only dissenting vote. Other regents said it was a difficult vote, but it was necessary to continue providing students with quality education.
This marks the second consecutive year the Board of Regents has voted to increase tuition by the maximum amount. In the last nine years, the Board has voted to increase tuition by the maximum amount six times.
In Washington, tuition increases for undergraduate residents are capped at the state’s median hourly wage growth rate over the past 14 years, according to RCW 28B.15.067. Rate increases for non-resident undergraduates are not capped, though the Board of Regents has voted to increase this rate by the same percentage.
The tuition increase is expected to generate $3.6 million, according to the proposal presentation. Without the increase, funds were expected to decrease by $3.3 million.
For undergraduate residents, this tuition increase raises tuition by $373. For non-resident undergraduates, the tuition increase raises tuition by $920.
WSU Global will also see tuition increases, with undergraduate residents on the Global Campus seeing a raise in their tuition by $373. Non-resident undergraduates on the Global Campus will see a raise in their tuition by $417.
Resident graduate students will have their tuition increase by $431, while non-resident graduate students will have their tuition increase by $946. For the Global Campus, both resident and non-resident graduate students will have their tuition increase by $431.
Prior to the vote Friday, the Board heard public comments before voting on the action. This marks a change in format for Board meetings.
Previously, the Board heard comments from the public following votes on actions. Now, in large part due to Vogel, the Board has moved public comments to before the vote.
During public comments, ASWSUG President Sierra Grindle asked whether WSU could or would move to a four-year fixed tuition increase. This would guarantee first-year students with the same tuition rate for all four years.
The Board did not immediately answer Grindle’s question, instead choosing to discuss it at a later time. Chair Schauer added the Board’s intent to continue looking at a four-year fixed tuition increase.
Prior to the vote, Regent Lura Powell proposed deferring the vote until a later meeting in order to have a chance to process the comments made by the public. The Board ultimately chose not to defer the vote, citing timing issues with student financial aid and enrollment pressures.
